Why can't I finger-train my budgie?

Question

I've had my blue parakeet, Tiki, for about two months now. I originally got him as a "Present" from my aunt (And by present, I mean she gave him to me because she no longer wanted him). He's a very cute bird, if a bit twitchy, and I love him to death.

Now, my problem: In my almost three months now of owning him, he has been COMPLETELY unresponsive to any sort of finger training. I've tried the "Traditional" method, like you would find in a guide or a book (1. Get him used to your hand being in the cage. 2. Teach him to sit on a perch held by you. Etc, etc.). The problem with this is in these few months I haven't even gotten past step 1. He reacts to my hand as though any second it could spring forward and kill him, no matter how still it is. He even does this when I change his food or water. My aunt (A different one) has also tried just grabbing him, as she has a Lovebird that was a BREEZE to fingertrain, and naively believes thusly that all birds must be as simple as he. He reacts rather oddly to this. He doesn't seem to panic at being held, so much, infact, he sits stilly, almost as though he was fingertrained already. However: Squawking. He will squawk, again, completely stilly, and squawk and squawk (It's a paniced, shrill squawk. This is not a happy budgie sound), until put back or until he feels like flying back to his cage. He's unholdable like this, obviously, and as much as I love him, the horrible headache I recieve as a result is too much to bear.

I am at a loss as to what I should do. As patient as I believe myself to be, attempting to train a bird in something that I am led to believe should take a month tops, over the course of three months, and not even getting past the first step is disheartening, to say the least. I love my budgie, but is it time to admit he's broken? The relative I got her from could be at fault for this, if this is the case. The atmosphere of her home is comparable to a funeral home, and in my (Thankfully limited) visits there, I'd witnessed her dog yapping a foot from the cage, which was on a coffee table and at about the dog's height. Could this have stressed him out to the point where he's untrainable? Is he just naturally like this? I understand that each Budgie is different, but I wouldn't think THIS different. Any feedback would be appreciated! I'd really like to show him the love he deserves, the poor thing.

P.S. Are there any treats I can give him, perhaps to teach him that my hand = Delicious treat time? I've tried Millet, broccoli, and lettuce so far. Millet, he says, is delicious, but he refuses to eat it around me, or when I hold it out to him. Broccoli and lettuce, I'm afraid, were ignored in favor of regular seed. Thanks!

Answer 1

Both my budgie and canary liked a little boston bib lettuce. The canary also liked a bit of buttered toast. I watched which seeds they went for first and both preferred the little round hemp seeds. I was living in Germany at the time, so do not know if hemp is in US seed mix, since it is kin to marijuana.



As far as finger training, you might try it in a darkened room - the birds are less likely fly off since they don't see well in the dark and you could present a perch or finger to his chest and gently push back a bit, encouraging him to step up.



Or you could have his wings clipped to ground him until he molts and encourage the finger training.



Does he like a mirror? You could position it so he has to stand on your finger or the perch to see it.



I don't remember having that much trouble finger training my birds, but I do think they realized that getting on the finger met then could get out of the cage and fly around the room a bit ... so maybe that was the "reward."



Where is your budgie's cage? Can you keep it in your room so he is exposed to you and your scent for long periods of time and it is more quiet? Maybe he would bond better.



Just a few thoughts.

Answer 2

Start with a training stick something that resembles his favorite perch. Eliminate ALL sound. Speak softly and slowly. Make short terms of eye contact. Let your bird see you close your eye and open them slowly. This will tell him that you trust him. You may even notice he will close his eyes right back at yea, guess what that means. Trust! Get your friend to hop on the stick in the cage, be patient this is a slow process don't expect too much too fast. Once on the stick make a clicking sound and offer very tiny piece of apple or other favorite placed in his dish and hold the training stick close to the bowl, just because he did not eat it doesn't mean he didn't understand he's saving it for later. Do this a few times and slowly, very slow shorten your grip from the hand to the bird. You will get there. The click seems to be a favorite of most birds, go to a dime store a buy a party clicker and use it to re-enforce good behavior positively. Soon you will have a bird eating out of your hand.

Answer 3

I got 2 budgies 3 days ago and just got them trained today! I thought it would be IMPOSSIBLE, because I had the same situation, but I wanted to here them on me so much, that by 3 days instead of 3 weeks, they love to stand on my finger. Ok, here are the steps.



1st Day-

Open the cage door a few times to get them used to it. Dont say anything and get a chair and sit in front of the cage and get it used to u near it. I read a book.

2nd Day-

Go outside and try to find a fruit tree branch. I found a blackberry stick. When u put the stick inside, the bird will probably fly away. Take it out ad keep on trying. Try doing it when its calm and standing straight. Try to push the stick against its stick. Finally, it should get on the stick. Keep having it on the stick the whole day.

3rd Day-

In the beginning, keep on using a stick. Try putting ur finger

in several times. Finally, it should get on if you press or finger on its chest. Let it stay on as long as possible and keep still! Keep trying again and agian untill it realizes that the finger is safe.



And, Voila! Ur bird is finger trained! Good Luck! :-)

Answer 4

Sounds like you have tried all the ways. I would suggest that you go to birdchannel.com and join the Forum. There are a lot of experienced people there that may have some suggestions.



If the wings are not trimmed, try that. That could be the answer. If you want them to grow out after he is tamed, that is fine.



If all else fails and he was just to stressed to become a pet, you can get him a friend so that he won't be lonely.